FBI Targets Users in Crackdown on Darknet Marketplaces

Washington — 

Darknet users, beware: If you frequent criminal marketplaces in the internet’s underbelly, think again. Chances are you’re in the FBI’s crosshairs. The FBI is cracking down on sites that peddle everything from guns to stolen personal data, and it is not only going after the sites’ administrators but also their users.

A recent surge in ransomware attacks and other malicious cyber activities has fueled the effort to shut down services that cater to online criminals. But shutting down the marketplaces has proven ineffective. With each takedown, a new iteration pops up drawing users with it.

Which is why the FBI is eyeing both the operators and users of these sites. “We’re not only trying to attack the supply side, but we’re also attacking the demand side with the users,” a senior FBI official said during a Wednesday briefing on the agency’s takedown of Genesis Market, a large online criminal marketplace. “There’s consequences if you’re going to be using these types of sites to engage in this type of activity.” The darknet, the hidden part of the internet that can only be accessed by a special browser, has long been home to various criminal marketplaces and forums.

One type of criminal marketplace there specializes in buying and selling illegal items, such as drugs, firearms and fraudulently obtained gift cards. Another type of market trades in sensitive data, such as stolen credit cards, bank account details and other information that can be used for criminal activity. These sites are known as “data stores.”

In recent years, a new breed of cyber criminals has emerged. Known as “initial access brokers,” these criminals specialize in selling access to compromised computer networks. Among their customers: ransomware gangs.

The takedown on Tuesday of Genesis Market, a 5-year-old criminal marketplace described by officials as an “initial access broker,” offers a window into this type of cyber-criminal activity. It also shows how the FBI is increasingly going after users of criminal marketplaces and not just their administrators. U.S. officials said Genesis Market was not only a seller of stolen account access credentials but was also “one of the most prolific” initial access brokers operating on the darknet.

Describing it as a “key enabler of ransomware,” the Justice Department said Genesis Market sold “the type of access sought by ransomware actors to attack computer networks in the United States and around the world.” The site went dark on Tuesday after the FBI, working with law enforcement agencies in nearly 20 countries, including the U.K. and Canada, took it offline and arrested nearly 120 people. In a statement, Attorney General Merrick Garland hailed the operation as “an unprecedented takedown of a major criminal marketplace that enabled cybercriminals to victimize individuals, businesses, and governments around the world.”

Genesis is one of two popular cyber-criminal marketplaces taken down by the FBI in the past month. In March, the FBI shut down Breach Forums, a criminal forum and marketplace that boasted more than 340,000 members. On the Breach Forums website, users discussed tools and techniques for hacking and exploiting hacked information, according to the Justice Department.

“We’re going after the users who leverage a service like Genesis Market, and we are doing that on a global scale,” the FBI official said. To take down Genesis Market, the FBI and its international law enforcement partners seized its servers and domains. In doing so, the FBI was able to obtain information about 59,000 individual user accounts, a senior Justice Department official said during the briefing.

The information included usernames, passwords, email accounts, secure messenger accounts and user histories, the official said. “And those records helped law enforcement uncover the true identities of many of the users,” the official said. The users ran the gamut from online fraudsters to ransomware criminals.

Some of the users were in the U.S., officials said, declining to provide any other details about them.

They were among the 119 people arrested around the world in connection with Genesis Market takedown.

Tags:

disneyland-paris listed on couponmatrix.ukflambards listed on couponmatrix.ukfragrance-direct listed on couponmatrix.ukgemondo listed on couponmatrix.ukjewson listed on couponmatrix.ukzavetti listed on couponmatrix.uk
disneyland-paris listed on couponmatrix.ukMeet all your favourite Disney heroes with the holiday trip of a lifetime at Disneyland Paris. Our Disneyland Paris vouchers will help you make a saving on your big trip to the Disney Village itself, packed full of parades, musical numbers, bars, restaurants and merchandise shops. Strolling around the park are princes and princesses as well as the ultimate star of Disney, Mickey Mouse himself. So, whether you’re a child or child at heart, you’ll love the magical feeling that Disneyland Paris possesses.
flambards listed on couponmatrix.ukThose with a taste for adventure can make merry at Flambards, Cornwall’s largest theme park. There’s something for every visitor – from old-timey escapades for little tykes up to fully-fledged adult attractions – so ensure the whole family gets their fun for less with a Flambards discount code from Groupon. With special events, indoor-only days and a wealth of rides to enjoy, see how quickly your day flies at Flambards.
fragrance-direct listed on couponmatrix.ukIf you like to keep things simple, direct and – most importantly – reasonably priced, then there is no better alternative for your beauty needs than Fragrance Direct. Removing the middle men from the process entirely, Fragrance Direct brings you the best in beauty products and fragrances at a fraction of the prices you’ll find elsewhere especially with a Fragrance Direct discount code from us. Stocking big brand names for less across a full range of beauty products, Fragrance Direct stocks everything from skincare and make up to electronics and hair products in addition to fragrance so you are sure to find your joy in no time!
gemondo listed on couponmatrix.ukReady to step away from the same-old manufactured jewellery offered by most high street jewellers? At Gemondo, you can enjoy the feeling of stunning jewellery made with ethically-sourced gemstones and personalisation options to create something really unique. With your Gemondo discount code, save money on natural jewellery and completely unique gemstones with their own personal story to tell in every ring, necklace, bracelet, earring, and charm.
jewson listed on couponmatrix.ukThere’s no task too large nor project too ambitious for the building whizzes at Jewson, experts in offering all the construction essentials anyone needs to start from the ground-up. Whether you need bricks and building supplies or power tools and cleaning equipment, a Jewson voucher code is all that’s required to get the machines and materials you need at a price below your budget. Even if you just need some advice or help planning a project, there’s always advice on hand from the experts at Jewson.
zavetti listed on couponmatrix.ukEmbrace your inner Italian stallion and turn heads everywhere with Zavetti, the modern fashion brand that brings the collective confidence of the Italian Peninsula directly to your wardrobe. Pick from comfy cargo pants and trendy t-shirts, then make the most of a Zavetti discount code to bulk out your wardrobe on a budget. Hosting both lightweight summer designs from the Zavetti Milano branch and wintery trends from the Zavetti Canada store in one single space, there’s no country or temperature unfit for the Zavetti style.